Trump claims killing of Khamenei has made diplomatic solution with Iran 'much easier now'
Approximately 40 Iranian officials were killed in the U.S.-Iran attack
Iran launched retaliatory strikes with ballistic missiles at Israel and U.S. allies
No U.S. deaths reported; one person killed in Israel, dozens injured
Trump declined to characterize the operation as a 'war' with Iran
📖 Full Retelling
U.S. President Trump announced in an interview with CBS News on Saturday evening, February 28, 2026, that the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli military strikes has created new possibilities for diplomacy with Iran, claiming the military action has put immense pressure on the Iranian leadership and made a diplomatic solution 'much easier now' than before the operation. Trump expressed confidence in the results of the strikes, calling them 'a great day for this country, a great day for the world,' and mentioned that roughly 40 Iranian officials were killed alongside Khamenei, who had led Iran for nearly 37 years. The president told CBS News there are 'some good candidates' to lead Iran in the wake of Khamenei's death but declined to elaborate further on potential successors. Earlier in the day, Trump had announced Khamenei's death following the coordinated military action between U.S. and Israeli forces. Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles at Israel and attacks on U.S. allies elsewhere in the Middle East, with Trump noting that the retaliatory response was less severe than anticipated, stating 'We thought it'd be double' but adding that the situation remains fluid. While no U.S. deaths or injuries were reported in the operation, one person was killed in Israel and dozens were injured in the retaliatory strikes. On Capitol Hill, Republicans have largely supported the president's actions, though Democratic leaders like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have urged Trump to provide 'Congress and the American people with critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat.' When asked about working with Congress on Iran-related matters, Trump replied, 'I always want to work with Congress. Always. I've always worked with Congress.' Toward the end of the interview, the president again praised the U.S. strikes as successful but declined to characterize the operations as a 'war' with Iran, emphasizing his focus on eliminating threats to the United States.
Ali Hosseini Khamenei (born 19 April 1939) is an Iranian cleric and politician who has served as the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. He previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. His tenure as supreme leader, spanning 36 years, makes him the longest-serving head of...
# Iran
**Iran**, officially the **Islamic Republic of Iran** and historically known as **Persia**, is a sovereign country situated in West Asia. It is a major regional power, ranking as the 17th-largest country in the world by both land area and population. Combining a rich historical legacy with a...
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.
Born into a wealthy New York City family, Trump graduated from the...
U.S. Trump: Diplomatic solution in Iran remains possible and "much easier now" By Robert Costa Robert Costa National correspondent, "CBS News Sunday Morning;" Chief Washington analyst Robert Costa is a national correspondent for "CBS News Sunday Morning" and chief Washington analyst for CBS News. Read Full Bio Robert Costa February 28, 2026 / 9:14 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google President Trump told CBS News on Saturday evening that he believes U.S. and Israeli attacks that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have been effective and could create a pathway to diplomacy. "Much easier now than it was a day ago, obviously," Mr. Trump said, when asked about the prospect of a diplomatic solution to the crisis during a phone interview. "Because they are getting beat up badly." He expressed confidence in the results so far, calling Saturday's strikes "a great day for this country, a great day for the world." Earlier, Mr. Trump announced that Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader for nearly 37 years, was killed in the strikes. Sources told CBS News that roughly 40 Iranian officials were killed in the U.S.-Iran attack. Mr. Trump told CBS News that "there are some good candidates" to lead Iran in the wake of Khamenei's death but did not elaborate. Early Saturday night, after speaking with officials and world leaders throughout the day, the president said that he continues to closely monitor the Iranian response in the region to the strikes. Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel and attacks on U.S. allies elsewhere in the Middle East. "It's what we expected," Mr. Trump said of the retaliatory response, but he noted that Iran's attacks so far are less than what the U.S. and its allies anticipated. "We thought it'd be double," he said, though he added that the situation remains fluid. "Thus far, it's been less than we thought." There have been no reports of U.S. deaths or injuries amid the operation in Iran, U.S. Central Command said. In Israel, one person w...
